


Of Treasure Hunts and Hero's Tales

by NicePumpkinSpice



Series: Of Sweet Memories and Guarded Moments [24]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-07
Updated: 2015-03-07
Packaged: 2018-03-16 19:02:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3499436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NicePumpkinSpice/pseuds/NicePumpkinSpice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Evelyn travels to Valence with Leliana.  Leliana shares stories from her time with Solona Amell, the Hero of Fereldan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Treasure Hunts and Hero's Tales

Evelyn gripped the railings of the boat on the way to Valence wishing a wave would lap her overboard. She had never been so motion sick in her entire life. The captain claimed the sea was relatively calm. _Calm my ass._ thought Evelyn as she wretched again. She hated boats. She hated the Waking Sea. She hated Leliana for asking her to come along with her. _To the void with it all._

Leliana had gotten a letter from Divine Justinia - some sort of post-mortem contingency plan from the Chantry’s former head. The Divine had hidden something for Leliana in a chapel in Valence. The spymaster did not know what the Divine had left for her, but she felt sure it would be valuable to the Inquisition. Evelyn had agreed to accompany Leliana as she went to retrieve Justinia’s bequest. 

“Inquisitor, the Captain informs me that we will be in port soon.” Leliana said while handing Evelyn a waterskin and a handkerchief. 

Evelyn put her head on the railing. “Thank the Maker.”

“I am sorry that the voyage was difficult for you. I will see that we book passage on a larger vessel for the return trip. That may help some.” Leliana offered while briefly resting her hand on Evelyn’s back.

_Andraste’s ass_ Evelyn thought but choked out, “I hadn’t even thought about having to go back.”

“One thing at at time, Inquisitor. You’ll be on shore soon, and I’ve gotten us rooms at the nicest inn in the city.” 

*************************  
Evelyn sat curled underneath a quilt in her room at the tiny inn in Valence. Now that the world had stopped roiling underneath her, she was beginning to feel more like herself. She still hated boats, but she no longer hated Leliana for asking her to get on one. Maybe finding whatever the Divine had left for Leliana would give the spymaster some peace. She had taken the Divine’s death particularly hard.

Leliana’s room adjoined her own, and the spymaster knocked at the unlocked door that connected their rooms. “Come in, Leliana. It’s unlocked.” Evelyn appreciated the courtesy of her knocking although she knew Leliana would be able to pick any lock placed before her.

“My agents have delivered some messages for us. I thought you might be interested in one in particular.” A coy smile formed on the former bard’s lips as she held up a letter addressed to Evelyn in Cullen’s handwriting.

Evelyn could hardly contain herself and began grabbing for the letter. Leliana handed it over with a giggle. “So eager to hear from our Commander. Who knew troop movements fascinated you so? Well, I’d hate to disrupt your reading. I’ll see you for supper later - yes?”

Evelyn nodded and held the letter up to her nose before opening it hoping it might smell like him. It didn’t. Trying to settle herself down, Evelyn used her dagger to cut through the wax seal and began to read Cullen’s careful blocky script.

_Evelyn,_  
_Your last letter was brief. I hope all is well. It does worry me when you are terse because that typically means you are wrestling with something. If there is any way I can help, you have only to ask._

_Do not worry about the loss of the Qunari alliance. I find myself relieved that the Inquisition will be maintaining a distance from them. The further they are from Southern Thedas the better in my mind. I do hope that Bull will continue to stay with us. The Chargers are a particularly effective small force._

_Your team has yet to return to Skyhold, but I will certainly check on Cassandra. She may not open up to me, but I can provide a sparring target for her at least. I’m not sure what book you are talking about Varric writing for her, but I’ll follow up on that as well._

_I miss you, my love. Be safe and come home soon._

_Cullen_

Evelyn reread the letter twice and then placed it in the pocket where she kept Cullen’s coin. She sighed and resolved to write him that night.

**************************  
For the many months they had spent working alongside each other, Evelyn realized that she hardly knew her spymaster. Heading to the tavern to meet Leliana for supper, Evelyn found herself nervous that the meal might be little more than two strangers trying to make polite conversation. Then there was the added awkwardness that Leliana knew nearly everything about Evelyn’s past. She was a spymaster after all, and Cassandra had once mentioned that Leliana had collected a frighteningly large amount of information on Evelyn. _Yeah, this isn’t going to be uncomfortable at all._ Evelyn thought as she spotted the former bard at a table in the corner.

Evelyn needn’t have worried about dull conversation. Perhaps it was her skills as a bard showing, but Leliana was a wonderful conversationalist and storyteller. Evelyn found herself listening with rapt attention as Leliana recounted some of her time with the Hero of Fereldan. Even more interesting than the tales Leliana spun were the glimpses of a whimsical, idealistic, and soft-hearted woman that she saw in Leliana as she talked of her adventures. Evelyn could picture the person Josie and Cassandra described knowing many years ago - before sacrifice and loss had made Leliana’s heart cold.

“We were in Orzammar trying to get the dwarves assistance in fighting the Blight, but there seemed to be an endless series of hoops for us to negotiate before we could the Assembly to agree to send aid. Solona was so frustrated with the process that she decided to stop trying to appease Bhelan and go shopping instead.”

“Wait... you’re saying that the Hero of Fereldan quit trying to forge an alliance in favor of a day browsing stores?” Evelyn asked incredulously.

“A girl has to have her priorities, and Solona loved getting people presents..” Leliana replied with a wink. “Besides she got the dwarves to come around eventually. Life doesn’t have to always be about work you know.” Leliana said while looking pointedly at Evelyn. 

Leliana took a sip of her wine and continued, “Solona had just bought Morrigan an ornate gold mirror from a lyrium addled smith when a young, red-haired dwarf in pigtails came up to us practically bursting with excitement. Can you guess who that dwarf was?” Leliana asked.

“Was it Dagna?” Evelyn asked remembering the dwarf had said the Hero had been responsible for getting her access to magical training.

“Yes, and she was even more excitable then than she is now - if you can believe it. There she was a dwarf fascinated with magic in the presence of two mages. Dagna began chirping about the magical treatises she had read, her desire to be admitted into a Circle, and then she tried to touch Morrigan just to see if she could ‘feel her magic.’ Solona would have likely obliged and laughed had Dagna tried touching her, but Morrigan - well, you’ve met her and being a mother has softened her considerably from those days...”

“What did Morrigan do?” 

“She zapped Dagna with a lightning spell. A normal person would have been deterred by the experience, but Dagna was ecstatic. She had not only met mages, but one of them had actually cast a spell on her. Solona could tell that Dagna had an insatiable curiosity regarding magic at that point and made sure to arrange for Dagna to be accepted into Fereldan’s Circle.”

“And now she serves the Inquisition. Isn’t it odd how our lives intersect?” Evelyn said before a concerned look formed on her face. “You said that the Hero sent Dagna to Fereldan’s Circle - was she there when the Circle fell?”

“Ah, so Cullen has told you about that. I’m glad to hear it. He carried that burden alone for too long. But no, to answer your question, Dagna joined the Circle after Uldred’s uprising. Cullen had already left for Kirkwall before she even made it to the Circle.”

“You’re worried about the Hero - aren’t you?” Evelyn queried.

“She is probably the only person in the world that I trust completely,” Leliana said quietly. “I know Solona can take care of herself - especially with Zevran with her, but I do worry especially with all that happened to the Wardens.”

“Are you sure she is with Zevran?”

“Absolutely. They are devoted to each other. I thought it an odd pairing at first. She was so naive and trusting. He was an absolute rogue by occupation and predilections. I think their relationship started as more of a distraction from the horrors of the Blight, but they grew to love each other very deeply. I enjoyed watching their affections blossom. We all knew they loved each other long before they realized it themselves - not unlike another couple I happen to know.” Leliana said while she nudged Evelyn in the shoulder.

Evelyn smiled self-consciously at Leliana’s implication then redirected the conversation. “The Inquisition has resources, Leliana. We could try to locate them.”

“I’m unsure that would be the most judicious use of our resources, Inquisitor.” Leliana answered and then added softly, “But I would appreciate it.”

**********************  
Evelyn returned to her room after supper and sat in her bed composing a response to Cullen. It wasn’t as if she had anything to report, but she wanted to answer his letter.

_Cullen,_  
_We’ve arrived in Valence. I hate sailing more than I hate carriage rides. I don’t think I’ve ever been so miserably sick. I may take several sleeping draughts when I make the return trip. I’d rather not be conscious for another sea voyage... ever._

_We plan on searching the chapel tomorrow. If all goes well, I should be on my way to Skyhold within the next few days. I am having more fun with Leliana than I would have predicted. She has great stories when she cares to share them. Remind me to tell you about Dagna and Morrigan’s first encounter._

_You were correct that I was feeling overwhelmed when I last wrote. I’m not sure how you can help, but I will try to be less guarded. No promises, though._

_I love you and can’t wait to get home._  
 _Evelyn_

Then she folded the letter, addressed it, applied her seal, and called for one of Leliana’s agents to send it.

**Author's Note:**

> Oh Zevran ... I miss your witty one liners before bedding the warden. "Pirate Zevran here, prepare to be boarded..."


End file.
